re: I need an EPL team to root for (Posted on 7/11/13 at 9:25 pm to TigerPhan27)

Sunderland just signed Altidore. Decent team to watch.

Stoke City have three Americans. Going through a managerial change, traditionally a dirty club.

Aston Villa have Brad Guzan and Everton have Tim Howard. Villa have a wonderful history, but had a very disappointing season last year. They are also about to sell their best player. Everton are a good club, but they play longball and just lost their manager to Manchester United.

Dempsey plays for Tottenham but he could be on the move soon. Tottenham are good and have one of the best players in the league (Gareth Bale). They barely missed out on the Champions League last season.

Swansea City and Liverpool both fit your wants pretty closely. Both play attractive soccer and are currently midtable. Swansea have a wonderful history recently - big time underdog story. Liverpool on the other hand are one of the more storied clubs in the world who have struggled greatly in the past 20 years. Neither have an American though.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are the four best teams in the league right now. City and Chelsea spend incredible amounts of money. United spend money as well, but have historically had a terrific academy. Arsenal is run very well and they don't spend what they don't have (cue the "they don't spend at all" jokes). Chelsea have a very young and entertaining team coming up. They are fun to watch. United have dominated the past 20 years. Great club, but their legendary manager retired at the end of last season. City have a new manager this season. They are loaded with superstars and are a treat to watch when they are on their 'A' game.

re: I need an EPL team to root for (Posted on 7/11/13 at 9:50 pm to TigerPhan27)

I say don't pick a team till you have at least consistently watched a whole season. Tons of matches going to be available so now is a perfect time to just watch soccer and enjoy. Being a fan of a certain team means you go through the ups and downs.

re: I need an EPL team to root for (Posted on 7/11/13 at 9:59 pm to BRGooner)

Im in the same boat as the OP. Have follwed the USMNT for a long time but never had a team in the EPL. Watched a few Spurs games last season but i Think im gonna start following Sunderland. Huge Jozy fan.

re: I need an EPL team to root for (Posted on 7/11/13 at 10:02 pm to TigerPhan27)

Here is my updated NFL comparison:

Man U = Cowboys - just don't pick them Liverpool = Packers - Deep rooted, lots of past success, always in the mix Chelsea = Patriots - most talented, wealthy and better behaved fan base Arsenal = Giants - popular team in a large city, long-term coach who faces criticism but gets results Manchester City = Texans - new to the limelight, lots of talent Everton = Colts - knowledgeable fans, well managed, broad appeal, same colors Aston Villa = Bears - Main fan base in a big industrial city, very hot and cold on the field Newcastle = Eagles - Probably the rowdiest fan base, usually in the mix, give criminal players second chances Fulham = Cardinals - everyone forgets about them, but sometimes they can catch you by surprise Stoke = Ravens - they might not score that much, but you'll be black and blue after the game Tottenham Hotspur = Jets - little brother from biggest city, make a lot of noise but never break into the elite, high player turnover Sunderland = Seahawks - like the team, not the coach; northern coastal city Hull City = Browns - don't pick them unless you are a masochist West Brom = Bengals - irrelevant until recently, surprising results w/ sub-par players Norwich = Jacksonville - peaceful town and fan base Swansea = Panthers - exciting at times, but not a real threat at this point Southampton = Chargers - strong at developing talent, coastal city West Ham = Raiders - good history, irrelevant lately, blue-collar fan base Cardiff/Crystal Palace - newly promoted, too early to assign a team

re: I need an EPL team to root for (Posted on 7/11/13 at 10:03 pm to BRGooner)

quote:I say don't pick a team till you have at least consistently watched a whole season. Tons of matches going to be available so now is a perfect time to just watch soccer and enjoy. Being a fan of a certain team means you go through the ups and downs.

Best advice. The more you watch the more you'll find a team that you actually enjoy watching, because that is ultimately why anyone should watch the sport. The bandwagon label is pretty silly, IMO, because people like what they like. This next season should be really exciting, with the title race as open as ever.

In the PL, you'll see a wide variety of styles as it is the most cosmopolitan league at the moment so you'll get a good sense of what aspects of the game you like. Usually the best teams have the most pleasing aesthetic styles, although there are some really good sides at the mid-level.

Arsenal and Liverpool are the most well supported teams on this board, though I feel it might be a function of having really active posters, although it might be a numbers thing as well. Don't let that deter you from choosing those teams though.

re: I need an EPL team to root for (Posted on 7/11/13 at 10:06 pm to NOTORlOUSD)

I always like these comparisons... although it seems like the Chiefs are hard to compare to anyone in England because even though we have had next to no success in a long time, we still have a really strong fan base.